I HEAR THE SNOW, I SMELL THE SEA

Readers follow blind narrator Neveah through the four seasons and experience the year’s cyclical beauty through the youngster’s sensory world.

Milusich, who works with visually impaired preschoolers, and two-time Caldecott Medalist Raschka have crafted a text that unfolds with gentle lyricism, each season introduced through specific sensory markers: winter’s “scruunnch” of boots in snow and the “soft tap of flurries” on cheeks, spring’s sweet hyacinth scent and buzzing bees, summer’s sandy grains between toes, and autumn’s “scritch-scratch” of raked leaves. The onomatopoeia throughout is particularly effective—from the bee’s “buzzz” to the squirrel’s “chut-chut-chutter” and the satisfying “plop!” when Neveah dives into the leaf pile—creating an immersive auditory landscape. Milusich brings authentic understanding to Neveah’s perspective, treating the protagonist’s blindness not as limitation but rather as a gateway to richer sensory awareness. The first-person narration feels natural and joyful. Raschka’s watercolor and oil pastel illustrations complement rather than dominate the text—swirling, impressionistic spreads that suggest movement, temperature, and texture through color and gesture. The art wisely avoids literal representation, instead creating emotional landscapes that mirror the sensory experience described in words. Young readers will discover that closing their eyes while listening to this story enhances rather than diminishes their understanding, making this an ideal choice for developing sensory awareness and empathy. Neveah and Mommy have skin the color of the page.

A thoughtfully crafted celebration of the rich sensory world that surrounds us all.